Why am I not receiving invites from my friends or they are not receiving invites from me?

I have just purchased a new Windows 8 PC that came with Messenger on it.  How do I voice chat with it?  So far I can only find a way to text

messages to friends?  I can find no options to set up a video session or set up the microphone?  I can't even find out what version of Messenger

I'm using.  Am I trying to make the wrong program work like my old MSN Messenger, that I could chat and video messages with?

the problem started today i signed in to messenger and clicked on the "you have 3 new emails" and instead of taking me right to me email inbox it takes me to the windows live homepage.  this is new to me and i don't much like it.  i am running xp, messanger live version 14.0.8.117.416.  i hope it is a problem with an easy fix.  i can still click on the link in the windows live webpage but it the link should take me to my inbox.  thank you for you help and hope to hear back soon.

when i clink on the envelope on mt messenger pane it jumps to inbox windows live mail .

this happened as soon as u changed to this new email format . i have to open internet explorer on my desktop and click on windows live link to get to this email page .

i would really like it to be linked or pined or whatever it is

 

when I sign into messenger , all my contacts pictures are gone showing who they are
I have Windows Live Essentials 2012 and as of about two weeks ago, I was able to share photos by clicking the icon at the bottom of the chat window but now it just offers me the choice to send a file? I enjoyed being able to preview what I was sending in the pop-out window. Please help!
I wish to remove two incorrect e-mail addresses on sign-in box
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